Servitude
by yulecogs
Summary: First Fanfic so please be kind.   Djaq is kidnapped and forced to work as a slave, but will a certain carpenter come and rescue her?
1. Chapter 1

Djaq

I wake up and let my head lean back against the wall. By my count this is my 23rd day of captivity. Not that I am sure because the room I am in has no windows. I haven't seen day light in so long. It is dark, I have no way of knowing what time it is. No way of getting out.

I am so hungry. I hate this. I hate that there is no way out. if there was a window or any light or any thing in the room apart from four walls I might be able to think of a way to get out of here.

My arms ache. They are shackled above my head, they have been there the entire time, my shoulders hurt, holding me up because the tips of my toes barely scrape the floor.

My wrists are shackled to the wall and so are my feet. There is a collar around my neck attached to the wall and another around my waist. I can't move a single millimetre.

The door across from me opens. I hate him. Hate him with every ounce of my body.

"Good morning." He says. I glare at him.

"Still not talking to me my pet?" his horrible slimy voice says,

He takes a plate out from behind his back and my head lifts up on it's own accord. My stomach starts growling. The food smells so good. It is a full English roast dinner. Somewhere in my head a voice reasons that he must be wasting a lot of food cooking one of those for me every day.

"You should know how this works by now pet. If you want the food you have to start behaving. Do you want the food?"

"No." I growl. My traitorous stomach growls in obvious disagreement.

"Are you sure? All you have to do is obey me and I will let you have the meal."

"I do not want the food. I am not your slave."

"If you promise to do my bidding I will let you have the food."

"I do not want your food. I will not be doing your bidding. You will have to kill me."

"Then I will." he says, "No one will stop me you know? They haven't come looking for you."

"They will." I sigh, "I don't want your food."

"Fine then. I'll see you later." He puts the plate on the floor and walks out.

The smell is so gorgeous. it makes my mouth water. God I want that food.

The physician in me knows that not having food for this amount of time isn't healthy, but the strong woman in me knows that once I tell him I want the food, I will be completely in his control. I know what I have to do to get it. I have to work for him. I have to become his slave. I have done that once and I swore that I would never do that again. I refuse to be a slave again. I will not work for that horrible man. I just have to hold out a little bit longer. My gang will rescue me.

Will is going to rescue me.

They are coming to rescue me aren't they?

I have been here for 23 days. Maybe they aren't coming for me. Maybe they've forgotten me. Maybe they aren't coming. What if they don't care that I've gone? What if I'm stuck here forever? I'm going to die here and no one will care, no one will even know I'm gone.

I close my eyes and block out the gorgeous smell of the food. I let my eyes picture two beautiful green eyes. Two gorgeous emerald pools.

When he looks at me the world seems right. When he holds my hands I feel like I can do anything and more importantly I feel like a woman.

He tells me I'm beautiful, and the way he looks at me it's as if he sees right into my soul,

a few weeks ago we had snuck out of the camp together for some time alone and I had laid down on his chest and gently kisses his neck.

"I love you." he'd whispered, for the first time. It had taken a few minutes to sink in. When it did, I had let myself smile, my whole being was flooded with happiness and love.

"Uhibuka." I had whispered once I trusted myself to speak,

"What?" he had whispered,

"Uhibuka," I had repeated, "It means, I love you. In Arabic. I love you Will."

"Uhibuka." he had whispered, I had laughed,  
"What?" Will had asked,

"My language is different from yours, we have different words when talking to a man than when we talk to a woman, so when I tell you I love you, I say Uhibuka, but when you tell me it's Uhibukki."

He had lifted my head so that I was looking into his eyes,

"Well then Uhibukki, because I do, I love you Djaq, more than anything in the world, more than my own life, and when this is all over I want to marry you and live with you until the end of time."

"Do you mean that?" I had whispered not daring to believe it.

"Of course I do, Djaq, I love you, and in all my life I have never understood Robin and Marian when they look at each other and nothing seems to matter. But I get it now. I love you Djaq."

"I love you."

Surely Will won't have forgotten me. It made me laugh quiet, shy, Will Scarlett, that was probably the longest speech I'd ever heard him say. I love him, and I know he loves me. Surely he won't have forgotten me. Surely Will is going to keep looking for me. He'll get me out. Won't he?


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, A/N I probably should have put this on the first one. This is my first Fanfic so please be kind, the plan is to do a chapter from Djaq and then a chapter from Will. That might change though. Also each chapter will move on a day. So the first one was 23 days, this is day 24. that is also subject to change. **

**Thank you to people who have reviewed!**

**Disclaimer – I am just borrowing the characters, I don't own them. **

Will

This can't be happening. It can't! She's gone, I don't know who has her but I know that when I find out I will kill them. I don't usually enjoy hurting people but trust me, when I find out who has Djaq I will be torturing them until they beg for death and I will enjoy slowly killing them.

"You are wearing a hole in the floor with all your pacing Will." Much says,

"Then maybe the rest of you should get up and do something!" I snap, "In case you haven't noticed Djaq is gone!"

"What? She's gone?" Allan laughs, "Thought it was quiet."

"This is not a joking matter Allan! She's gone and we aren't doing anything!"

"We are doing things Will." Robin says trying to calm me down, "We have been trying to find out information about where she is. Marian is doing her best at the castle, and we've been talking to travellers and the villagers to see if they have any ideas."

"But they don't!" I hear myself yelling, "And Marian is trying her best but it's not good enough,"

"Hey don't say that!" Robin says,

"It's true though! It's not good enough because she still doesn't have a clue who took her! She doesn't have a clue where she is! It's been 24 days Robin! You know that if it was Marian you would have found her by now! Why not the same for Djaq!"

"Will I'm sorry." Robin sighs, "I'm sorry we haven't found her yet, but I am doing all I can. Do not think you are the only one who misses her."

"I'm the only one who seems to realise all the trouble she could be in. I'm the only one who seems to care that she could be being tortured! I'm the only one who seems to care that she could be...she could be..." I feel myself crumple, I can't bring myself to say it.

"Will, Will mate." I hear Allan say, I feel his hand on my back, he stands me up and takes me out, inside I am thankful for that, there is only so much I can take in front of the gang. Allan is like my brother though, and somehow he normally knows how to make me feel better. He leads me to a clearing and then leaves me to cry.

When I look up I see a pile of wood in front of me and Allan passes me an axe.

"Go ahead." he smiles, I stand up and take out all of my frustrations on the wood. When it is in toothpicks. I sit down again. Allan sits next to me.

"We need to find her," I mutter,

"I know, but Will everyone misses her, everyone feels as crap as you do right now. You have to stop making it worse by yelling at everyone."  
"I love her." I whisper,

"Well yeah." Allan laughs,

"What?" I ask,

"Not being funny mate but it's pretty obvious." he laughs,

"I've asked her to marry me."

"You've what?" he says,

"I asked her to marry me." I repeat,

"When? How? What did she say? How could you just spring that on the girl?"

"I didn't."

"Tell me everything." he says,

I sigh, "A few months ago we went to Nettlestone together on a delivery, we got attacked and she was hurt. I panicked, I helped her to stitch herself up. She laughed at me because I was so worried and I told her that I'm always worried about her. And she kissed me."

"She what?" Allan laughs,

"She kissed me." I say, letting myself smile at the memory. "She kissed me!"

"But the two of you aren't a couple are you?" Allan asks,

"Yeah, we are."

"But..."

"It would be awkward in the camp. So we have to sneak off. We have to pretend in the camp, and it's horrible but at least I know the truth, then a few weeks before she got taken I asked her to marry me, and she said yes. The plan is that after all this is over we'll start courting properly then I will build her a house, the best house I'll ever make, and we'll marry."

"Wow," Allan smiles, "Who would have thought you'd marry Djaq?"

I close my eyes,

"Well I might not." I whisper,

"Will don't." Allan says,

"She's been captured, taken, and it's been 24 days, and we still haven't found her!"

"Torturing yourself isn't helping."

"Torture. She could be being tortured Allan, they could hurt her, they could have his hands all over her. Where is she? We need to find her!"

"Will, I promise you. I will do everything possible to find her."  
"Thank you Allan."

"Your welcome." He jumps up, "Now come on."

"Come on where?" I ask,

"Well sitting round here all day isn't going to find her is it?"

**Ok I figure Will is completely out of character in this, sorry. **

**However I kind of modelled it on him in Angel of Death cos I'm pretty sure if Djaq was taken he'd go a little crazy. **

**So do you hate it? Do you love it? **

**I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. **

**Rach**

**xXx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys, thank you to everyone who is reviewing and to everyone who thinks that this story is any good. Hopefully I can keep you reading. I'm sorry if Djaq is out of character. I'm sorry if anyone in this story is out of character, I'm trying my best. Thank you for reading. **

Djaq

I'm so bored. I'm so hungry. I'm in so much pain. God please make this stop. Stop! Djaq stop it! Stop it now! You are better than this! You are strong! So far you have made it through more than most people. You are a strong woman and you can cope with this alone. Now, let's just list the problems we have.

I need food.

I have been captured

I need food.

I am tied to the wall.

I need food.

I have no idea where I am.

I need food.

There is no way for me to get out.

I have no idea when or if the gang are coming to get me out.

I need food!

Ok so now we need a solution to these problems, come on Djaq! You have been through a lot worse than this before! The main problem is that I have no way of moving never mind getting out. The shackles keeping me to the wall don't have any give in them. There are no windows so even if I get out of these shackles I have no way to get out of the room because I can hear him turn the locks every time he leaves. If I was able to get out of the room then I don't know how to get out of the building or where the building is. I know my way round Nottingham but only time I've been through the rest of England is in that slave cart. That's one problem I have no idea how to sort that problem out. However the main problem is the fact that I'm stuck here.

_There is an easy way to fix that!_ a little voice in my head says,

No! I won't do it! I won't be a slave not again. But what if there isn't another way? I wouldn't really be being a slave. I mean I'd just be playing a part to find a way to get out of here and lets be honest. I'm not going to get out of here by being chained to the wall am I? No this isn't being a slave this is pretending, like when we pretend to be a maid when sneaking into the castle. That's what I need to do. I need to be able to get out of this room and see any escape routes. So I will agree to his ideas…and the fact that I'll get food in the deal has nothing to do with it.

Ok so now I need a plan. When he comes in I act all depressed and broken, I let him see that I am done and desperate and I know that I am not going to be saved and I am willing to do anything he wants.

I close my eyes, ok I have a plan, a general one at least. I can get myself out of here, I've never needed anyone looking after me, I can get by on my own merits. I don't need anyone.

I don't need anyone. I do like having Will though. Well do I have Will. It's been almost a month. No one has come for me, I mean I am the newest member of the gang, maybe that's it. Maybe they just don't mind having me gone. Maybe they never really liked having a girl in gang. No that's a lie, they are my family. They would come searching for me. They like having me there, I'm their friend and they love me like I love them, I would lay my life down for any of them, and they would do the same for me. I know that Will would not forget about me. He will come and save me. I know he will.

The door opens snapping me back to reality, I blink in the light. But I keep my head down.

"Good evening my sweet." He smiles. I lower my head and don't look up at him. "You know the deal by now. If you want the food, you tell me you are ready to start behaving."

He brings the food out and the smell makes my mouth water.

"I-I'm ready." I whisper, not looking up,

"What was that?" he asks,

"I'm ready," I whisper, "I'll do it, I'll do anything, please just let me eat!" I beg, I hate the sound of my voice. I sound so weak and horrible. Bleurg! It's horrible.

"Are you sure about that pet?" He asks,

"Yes, Yes I'm sure!" I beg, Hating myself for doing this but knowing this is the only way I'll be able to make an escape plan. "Please I'll do anything just let me eat."

He puts the food down in front of me and then slaps me across the face.

"Good girl." He says, I grimace I hate being called a good girl! "So the ground rules. From now on you are to call me Master."

Oh Hell no! No I will not call him Master, I am not a slave. I will not be a slave again…but I have to. If I want to find a way out then I have to play by his rules. This man is pure evil!

"You will do as I command without question. You are mine! You do not speak unless spoken to. I will give you a list of work to do each day, if you complete the work you get fed, if I decide you are doing something wrong, you don't. We clear?"

"Yes." I say, he slaps me again,

"It's yes Master!"

"Yes Master." I say through my teeth.

"Good."

"Now are you ready to behave, my dear."

"Yes Master." I spit,

"Good then maybe we can get you unchained my pretty little pet, my new little slave." That horrible slimy evil half animal, ugly, inhumane, disgusting, deceitful man says

I am physically shaking with rage. I refuse to be treated like this. I am not a slave I am a free woman and I know that the only reason I am doing this is for the food and the fact that I need to find a way out of here but this is still horrible and degrading and I think I would rather die.

It takes all my self control to stay still while he unchains my feet,

"I knew I'd finally break you, slave." He says as he straightens up, and that's the last straw. I bring my feet up to my stomach and then kick both of them out at him. They catch him under the chin and his throat, my heel connecting with his Adams apple. As he falls to the floor, I realise how stupid that was. I could have at least waited until he'd unchained me. I'm still chained to the wall by four shackles. I've just provoked him and I'm still stuck stood here like a fish in a barrel.

"You stupid girl!" he growls, and I can't help but agree with him.

He punches me in the head and the world goes black.

I wake up and my hands are chained above my head, I am hanging from them in a different room so that's nice at least, I mean the whips, chains and brands are something different to look at then the four walls I have been staring at for over three weeks.

Then he starts beating me. I feel each stroke of the whip and it makes me feel like my whole back is on fire! I close my eyes and try to send myself to a happy place. I name all of the cities surrounding Acre, I scream the twelve times table and then the seventeen times table and then the forty two times table. I am screaming in Arabic, just so he doesn't know what I'm saying, just so I have a tiny part of me that he can't control. Just to try and get my mind on anything other than the pain.

He puts down the whip after what seems like an eternity I see him put the whip down. I breathe a sigh of relief, it's over finally!

He stands in front of me and I see him properly for the first time. He smiles at me.

"This is what happens when you don't behave slave." He growls and something clicks in my head,

"Wait a second." I say, ignoring the slap he gives me, I glare at him, "I know you."

**Bit of a cliff hanger for you. Sorry it took me a while to update. **

**Just wanted to thank Caro A Dale and Icetrekkie for being so lovely about this story, and every one else who has reviewed and a selfish little plug, if you haven't read Icetrekkie's story **_**I will be there for you**_**! Go read it now! Now! I tell you! Because it is amazing. This story here that I've written is nothing compared to it. **

**(And seen as I've plugged it so obviously maybe she'll give us another chapter. :-D) **

**I'll update soon, as long as you like it. Do you? Tell me.**


	4. Chapter 4

Will

Allan and I have scoured the whole of Nottingham no one has any idea what happened to her.

"Come on." Allan says, on our third day of searching. He drags me towards the Tripp Inn,

"Allan." I say, "I don't particularly feel like getting drunk right now."

"No, but that is the hub of all of the underhand dealings. If Djaq has been kidnapped chances are someone here will know who did it."

We walk into the Tripp and Allan orders us two pints. We sit at a table.

"Ok tell me one more time, what happened?"

"We were doing our deliveries in Clun, we had finished and we had decided to take a detour back, we were heading through the forest when suddenly I was hit over the head I span round and pulled Djaq with me, there were four of them. They all went for Djaq, not one of them bothered with me. I tried my best to get to her but I couldn't. I kept pulling them off her and she was screaming, but she was fighting them off. I kept dragging them off her and I managed to knock two of them out, but one of them turned round and knocked me out. when I woke up she was gone. She looked so scared Allan and I didn't help her, I couldn't help her!"

"Will all we have to do is find out who those four guys were. Then we can get her back! The fact that they were definitely after Djaq is helpful."

"Yeah and terrifying! Why would they definitely want Djaq?"

"Slavers." Allan whispers,

"What?" I ask,

"The slavers. The one we rescued her from! The way I'm thinking about it they are the only ones who would want her specifically!" Alan says, part of me agrees with him and I hate that part, I promised her that I would never let her go back there.

About a month ago Djaq had woken up in the middle of the night yelling, I had woken up with her sobbing and I had taken her outside to calm her down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I had asked kissing her forehead,

"Not yet." She had whispered, "Could you just hold me please?"

I had smiled and let her sob into my chest, my lovely amazing smart strong Djaq, who is amazing, and independent and strong was crying and weak. She had cried herself out and then kissed the hollow under my neck.

"Thank you, I'm sorry." She had whispered,

"Nothing to apologise about," I whispered.

"But you need sleep and I woke you up being foolish and girlie!"

"You are not foolish or girlie, you are amazing and strong and we all have nightmares."

"Really?"

"Course we do." I laughed, "Haven't you noticed? Allan mutters in his sleep, John misses his family, Robin and Mutch have nightmares about the holy land, and I have nightmares about my father losing his hand, and now his life, I can see my mother dying when no one noticed, I can see the noose being put round Luke's neck, and I see you."

"Me?" She whispers, "Why am I a nightmare?"

"You being captured, or hung, or in that horrible cart."

"That horrible cart." She had whispered. Looking at the ground, it had clicked in my head.

"The cart?" I whispered,

"Yes, the cart." She said, I had pulled her into my arms,

"I've got you, I'll protect you."

"I don't need protecting Will Scarlett," she had almost growled. It had made me laugh,

"I know you don't, darling, but I'm here to help you protect yourself." I had smiled,

"Thank you, I woke up and I thought that I had dreamed all of this, that I was still there. It was horrible, I was so scared. Will I don't want to have to go back."

"You won't! Ever!"

"How can you promise that Will, they could come back any second and take me!" she had tried to pull away from me but I had grabbed her arms gently and made her look at me.

"Djaq, have you not just told me that you do not need to be protected?"

"What?"

"When I said I wanted to protect you. Did you not growl at me that you did not need to be protected?"

"Yes I did…" she had said,

"Ok so if you are alone, you can protect yourself, however, you are my life Djaq, my whole entire life, and I promise you that I will give everything, everything in my life to protect you. Like you said you don't need it, however if I am around nothing will hurt you, I promise."

"Promise?"

"I promise." I had said staring in her eyes and pledging my everything to her with all my heart…and now I had broken that promise.

I look at Alan and sigh, "The slavers."

"I think that's our best bet." He agrees,

"Then we need to find them and get her back, quick!"

"Right lets move we need to make progress."

We finish our drinks and then we go outside. We search the cities again and then for the first time I venture out of Nottingham, we are just entering the next town when I see him on the gate.

"Allan." I say nodding, "That's one of them!"

"The dude on the gate?" he asks, I nod,

Allan walks up to him and whilst talking to him I move behind him and knock him unconscious. Allan ties him up and then we carry him back to the camp.

"Not being funny Robin but I have a gift for you." Allan laughs.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so sorry, it has been so long since I updated, you may all yell at me, but please still read! I'm sorry. Life and assignments and Uni stuff got in the way, but I'm on Easter holidays now, so hopefully I'll get a few chapters up. I'm sorry, thank you if you are still reading, **

**This is a straight continuation of the last chapter. **

Will

Alan and I drag the sorry excuse for a man into the centre of the camp. I am so furious! The only thing stopping me from putting my axe through this idiots head is the fact that he knows where Djaq is.

"Will, who is this?" Robin says,

"He's one of the men who took Djaq!" I yell throwing him on the floor and kicking him,

"William stop!" John says, I do,

"How do you know? Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure! I was there remember!"

John looks at me and then nods slowly, then he hits the man across the head with his staff to make sure he stays unconscious and ties him to a tree.

We fill the gang in on what we have decided about the slavers. They agree, even though I like the fact that we have a lead, it terrifies me that my amazing strong, beautiful Djaq, might be being forced in to slavery again, it chills my blood thinking about what those horrible men could be doing to her. I know that Djaq is a strong fighter but still she could be being hurt. I am so scared and I feel so helpless.

"W-where am I?" the man says waking up, Robin punches him across the face, I stand behind the man so he can't see me,

"What is your name?" Robin says,

"Michael." He says, "Who are you? Please don't hurt me."

"Do you work Michael, if so who for?"

"I am a slave sir, for Mr Higgins," (**A/N I'm sorry, I couldn't find the name of the head of the slavers.)**

I meet Allan's eye, he was right,

"Your Master, has taken one of my men. You are going to help us to rescue them. Are we clear?"

Michael stares at Robin, he starts to shake,

"Please sir, I am sorry about the fact that one of your men is in the same hell hole as me, and I wish I could help them escape, because if they could get out then there is hope for me right? But I'm sorry, Higgins is evil and there is no way to escape, do your man a favour and don't try, it'll only make him angry."

I decide now is time to announce my presence. I grab Michael's hair and drag his head backwards so he is looking back at me.

"Now you listen to me!" I seethe, "Because I will only say this once. We are going to take your Master down and get Djaq back, and whether you like it or not you are going to help."

I let go of his head and the man, well boy really I suppose, looks completely terrified, he keeps looking over his shoulders to see if there are any other people hiding behind him. I take a minute to look at him, walking round to stand next to Robin. Looking at him again, he looks young, younger than Luke is. I'd say around fourteen, his skin is the same shade as Djaq's, he is extremely skinny, and he looks beaten. He is tall and skinny, he has the same build as me.

"How old are you?" I ask,

"Eighteen sir." He says, I double take at him, he is so small for eighteen.

"How long have you worked for Higgins? How did you start?"

"I was at home and I got captured, I was brought to this country on a boat and given to Higgins. When he sold everyone else on, they said that I was too small and scrawny, so he decided to keep me. I wish he had sold me on or decided to kill me."

His accent is the same as Djaq's his vowels are long, and some of his words are too short. It reminds me of her and hearing him say about how he wished to die fill me with fear and anger hopefully Djaq is not feeling like that.

"If we untie you, do you promise to stay with us and not try to run away?" I say, feeling pity for this man, I wouldn't want Djaq to be captured and scared and tied up.

"Where would I go?" he asks, shrugging, "My master will know I am missing, when I go back there I will get a beating which I'm in no rush to receive."

"Are you sure about this?" Much says, looking at me,

"I don't like to think of Djaq being scared by unknown Englishmen. It is not his fault and he can help us." I say, I untie him,

"Shokran jazeelan." He says as I help him stand up. (Thank you very much)

"Mafi mushkila." (No problem) I reply without thinking, then I feel five pairs of eyes on me. I shrug, "Djaq taught me."

"Your friend is from the holy lands?" Michael asks,

"Yes." I reply,

"Then why are you fighting for her?" He asks,

"Djaq is family." I say through my teeth, "We fight for our family."

Much hands Michael a bowl of stew and we sit down to eat and discuss a plan, I go to bed that night happy as I know we have a plan. Tomorrow I will be seeing Djaq again.


	6. Chapter 6

**I am so sorry, really I am. I have no excuse and you may all shame me! But give thanks to Yuri who gave me a kick up the backside to get this finished thank you. I hope some of you are still reading this. Also I realised when I was writing this that Michael is perhaps the least Arabic name I could have come up with, I'm sorry I only decided to make him Arabic half way through writing the chapter. So if you like you can give him a better fitting name when you read it. Also one of my Casperace 13 pointed out that you can't survive 23 days without food or water, (sorry I got my facts wrong) so you can either all believe that instead of 23 it just says 3 (which I think makes everything a little bit less dramatic, to be honest with you. But it makes it more realistic) or you can do what I plan to do and pretend that Djaq is just that amazing that she can stay alive without food and water for that long. Sorry for the mistakes and the long wait. **

Djaq

It was easier being an outlaw!

Day 2 of my new life of slavery, yay! Higgins had beaten me until I passed out and then given me the offer again. I took it, and all of his stupid rules. Today at least was a little but easier as I have some food in my body, but yesterday he made me do all the chores before he would feed me!

It was horrible. Carrying the buckets of water left me exhausted and my whole body was shaking just with the effort of standing up. It's all been worth it however. I have managed to talk to some of the other slaves. We are in a city called Calverton which is apparently just under 10 miles from Nottingham. The building has four floors and is closed by two big wooden doors, the slave quarters are locked every night and only Higgins has access to the key. My plan at the moment is to sneak out when I am getting eggs from the chickens in the back. I think that with a bit of a struggle I'll be able to climb the wall and get out, then I'll hopefully be able to find my way back to Nottingham.

Do I really want to go back? To be honest I am more than a little bitter that no one has tried to find me. Why should I seek them out?

But then again, maybe they have tried, maybe they just had no leads, there was no way for them to know where I am. It would be wrong of me to just assume the worst.

The problem with my plan is that I'm so weak I can't do anything at the moment. Just standing and walking is making my legs shake. My plan is to get my strength up and then I will make my escape.

However today there is a bit of drama in the house and seen as I'm here I might as well enjoy it. Apparently we have a runaway, today has taught me that when I run I had better not get caught! The threats they are making about this Michael are making my skin crawl. I'm feel so scared for him, because I know him. I know most of the slaves here, they were all in that horrible cart with me, yes that's right. That's why they wanted me, why they knocked Will out and just took me, because they were rounding up the slaves who escaped.

I hear yelling coming down the hall so I put the scrubbing brush back into the bucket and go to be nosy.

"You daft ahbal!" (idiot) I hear one of the slaves whispering, "What in Allah's name are you doing back here! Anta ghabi! The Master will strip the skin off your back for disappearing!" (You're stupid)

Turns out Michael was stupid enough to come back. Allah knows why.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, please keep reading we are almost done. This chapter carries on directly from the last one. Thank you to those who read and reviewed. **

Djaq

I go back to my bucket and my scrubbing brush, I don't know the boy so I have no reason to tell him how stupid he is.

Is he stupid? Life here is hell and he will get the beating to end all beatings for running away, however where else would he go? I can still remember the horrible pit in my stomach when I had got out of the cart, I'd helped the gang with their rescue and then everyone had ran off.

I was alone in a foreign country, I didn't know anyone or have anything. The rest of the slaves had ran off a while ago, before I went down to save Little John. I can remember wandering through the forest not having a clue what to do, I didn't even know where to go to get out of the forest, and then I fell over a trap with two lovely rabbits inside. I decided to at least ask the gang for a way out, perhaps they could tell me where the nearest port was. The fact I ended up asking them to let me stay forever is not the point, the point is I at least knew someone. Where could he have possibly gone? Who did he have? But then again what's the idiot doing running away without a plan?

"Michael!" I hear Higgins yell, "Get here now!"

The poor damned fool walks past me and I hear a plop as something falls into the bucket. I reach in to find out what he's dropped.

"Hey Michael!" I begin as I bring something out and then I stop staring at the thing in my hand, it's a tag…a Robin Hood tag…I turn it over in my hand and I see the small heart on the back. I bring it to my lips and kiss it lightly.

"Djaq please wait!" Will had yelled looking after me, "Djaq please!"

I had ran through the woods, trying to ignore him just wanting to get as far away as anyone as I possibly could. All I wanted was to be alone so that I could collapse, I was having an incredibly horrible day and it was turning me girlie, I just needed to be away from him.

"Djaq!" he had yelled,

I'd jumped up the nearest tree and hidden in the branches, crying to myself, trying desperately to stay quiet. I didn't hear him I just felt his arms wrap round me.

"What's wrong habibi?" he'd whispered in my ear, (my love)

"It's nothing! Please Will, just leave me alone!"

"No, Djaq, I love you. Please let me look after you."

"No! I don't want you to look after me, please Will just leave me alone and let me have my girlie moment!" I was screaming at him! Hitting him trying to force him to go away, he held my wrists gently stopping me from hurting myself or him.

"Djaq, I'm not going to leave you here like this." He had stated calmly, "I love you. Here is your choice, I can just sit here quietly and let you have your girlie moment. I will move along the branch and you can forget I'm here, or you can let me hold you. Stop fighting me Djaq and I will be here for you."

"Thank you Will." I had whispered and I'd slowly sat up,

"What's wrong?" he'd said,

I couldn't tell him, my problems suddenly felt stupid, I didn't want to tell him about my stupid insecurities.

"I love you." I'd whispered, "More than I've ever thought I could love anyone. I know it is silly and we can't openly be together, it would be awkward in camp and would give the sheriff a way to hurt us beyond all recognition. But I hate it . I want to be yours. I want to hold your hand in public! I want…I want… I don't know! I'm being stupid."

"You are not stupid." He had said, "And I know what you mean, there are so many nights when I wish I was holding you in my arms. I want to punch Allan every time he makes a joke about you. But Djaq, I am yours see."

He'd taken his tag off and handed it to me. I'd scoffed,

"This is your Robin Hood tag, it means you belong to Robin, not me."

"Turn it over."

I'd turned it over in my hands and on the back the amazing craftsman had carved my name inside a heart.

"I love you." I'd whispered choking on a sob,

"My loyalties are with you Djaq, always to you, I am yours."

I'd lent into him and kissed his collar bone,

"I'm yours, I'm all yours. Just yours."

I hold on to the tag clutching it tightly, smiling at the memory

My gang are coming for me.

I jump up and run after Michael,

"Stop! Where did you get this?" I grab him and I spin him round to me, I see he is counting, he looks at me and then gets to 150

"Inzil!" he whispers, (Get down!")

He drags me to the floor as all hell breaks loose!


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. **

**Ok guys. You may thank awildcatappeared for giving me a kick up the bum for this chapter and her comment, _I__'__m__not__being__funny__but__get__it__finished_which is the inspiration for giving our favourite trickster a (relatively) big part in this chapter. **

**And so on we go. **

"_Stop! Where did you get this?" I grab him and I spin him round to me, I see he is counting, he looks at me and then gets to 150_

"_Inzil!" he whispers, (Get down!") _

_He drags me to the floor as all hell breaks loose!_

There is a bang and the deep dark wooden, (cherry the part of me that listens to Will when he excitedly tells me about wood tells me) bang open. I see smoking small bags being thrown. Black powder in tiny amounts that will create a tiny bang but a lot of smoke.

"Attack! Get them out of my house!" I hear Higgins yell, I can hear the slaves getting ready to fight, I grab Michael,

"Who are you with? What side are you on?" I whisper,

"Your Englishmen are the only ones who have only shown me kindness, I am with them."

"Good." I say,

I feel him slip something into my hand, I look down and see one of Will's daggers, for some strange reason I am glad it is Will's not my own,

"Thank you." I smile,

I sneak through the smoke to the slaves who are running round trying to get to armoury, the slaves aren't allowed knives or weapons for obvious reasons. This is a huge advantage as it means I have time to knock a few out at the beginning,

"Djaq!" I hear being screamed, I feel like crying with happiness, until now it could have all been a fluke but they definitely are here, my gang are rescuing me!

I keep trying to cut down some of the other slaves, I feel Higgins grab my wrist. He spins me round and shoves his gloved hand over my mouth.

"Be quiet or I'll kill you. You are coming with me."

As Higgins drags me away I see Allan round a corner. I wave my arms and try to bite Higgins hand. I see Allan's eyes light up as he sees me. Higgins notices him and puts a knife to my throat.

"The girl is mine. Leave now, or I kill her with her own blade." He mutters to Alan,

"Actually I think you'll find the blade and the girl are mine." My heart stutters at hearing his voice again,

"Really?" Higgins says looking round at Will. "I personally believe that it is my property." I see Allan run off around the corner. I look Will up and down and I can't help the crease that appears between my eyes when I look at him. He looks ill, there are huge bags under his eyes, and he is so skinny. I mean Will is skinny anyway but now he is crazily so, he looks just like a skeleton, why have the gang been letting him not eat! He looks like he hasn't slept either. I'm glad to say his eyes light up when they meet mine. I smile at him and let myself breathe, I knew he would be looking for me, and he is going to get me out of here. He looks more angry than I have ever seen him, I know Will especially well and I know he would never hurt me, but the look he is giving Higgins scares me.

"She is no one's property." Will growls out through his teeth, "And you will let her go."

I twist my legs between his and try to kick him but he grabs my hair and pulls my head back putting the knife closer to my throat.

"Tut tut tut pet that's not very nice." He says,

I see Will start to edge forward and Higgins draws the knife across my neck, hard enough to draw blood but not deep enough to kill me,

"Stop! Let her go!" Will yells and I feel the arms around me go loose I lunge forward into Will's arms thinking that was easy all Will had to do was ask, until I hear Higgins fall to the floor,

"Not being funny but I thought seen as you two were busy chatting I might as well get something done." I hear Allan say, I don't look up at him, because my head is buried in Will's chest. He holds me close, squeezing me so hard it hurts, I don't complain though because I squeeze him just as hard just so I know that he's real.

"Come on let's get out of here!" Allan says,

I take Will's hand but as I go to run he stops me, I turn round to him and he bends down, putting one arm around my back and another under my knees, he picks me up.

He shushes me when I try to protest. As I rush out I hear Allan yelling.

"We've got her, and we've got him, Michael you ok taking over here?"

"I'm fine." I hear Michael yell.

Will runs me out of the building and I squint in the sunlight burying my face into his chest. I breathe in deeply, memorising his gorgeous scent, that one that is just wood chips, grass, and Will.

"Don't we need to wait for the others?" I ask, he doesn't answer me. He runs me out of the walls and through the town until we are on a dirt road, he stops over to the side of it, where there is a collection of horses. He places me down so I am standing and then he falls to his knees,

"I thought I'd lost you." He whispers, I kneel down in front of him, "I thought…God I'm so sorry Djaq,"

"What have you got to be sorry about my love? You saved me."  
"I left you there for so long. I let them take you, I failed you Djaq."

I kiss his cheeks and his forehead, "No, Will, you never failed me, we were outnumbered and caught by surprise. You came and rescued me, I am safe now because of you, we are together, that is what is important is it not?"

He looks up at me I see the tears shining in his eyes, I kiss his forehead, my amazing man. I understand why he is crying and I know that if it was the other way round I would be exactly the same. I would shed a million tears over the love that I could have lost.

"I love you Will." I whisper to him.

"I love you." He whispers wrapping his arms round me, "Oh Djaq."

I flinch as he holds me tight and it startles him.

"Oh Djaq, are you hurt? God, you get locked up and beaten and then you have to look after me I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I'm fine just a little bit tender."

He stands us both up and he looks me over, as much as I don't want him to, I let him look me over, I know if it was the other way round I would need to do the same.

"You are hurt Djaq?"

"Yes, I know." I say, "But I'm fine. A few weeks and I'll be ready to sneak off with you again, we will have to leave it for a while though."

"The only important thing is you getting better my love." He places a gentle kiss to my lips.

I smile at him when we break away.

"We have to stop, the gang will be here soon, they'll catch us."

"I don't care." He says, holding my face between his hands, "Djaq, the thing between my hands is the most precious thing in my whole world. You are beautiful, kind, smart and the owner of my heart and I want the whole world to know how lucky I am to call you my own. I want us to be a public couple."

I stare at him, gobsmacked. He wants to be with me, he thinks he's lucky because he gets me. is the boy blind? Surely he must know it is the other way round. I've seen the way the women in the villages look at him, how they talk and whisper about it. It used to make my heart clench when they talked about how wonderful a man he is and how dreamy it would be to be his woman. He is the most beautiful man I've ever seen and he is so talented, I used to run my fingers over the wood he'd lovingly carved amazed at what he could do with those hands, and lie in bed imagining what those gorgeous talented hands could do on my body.

Will obviously thinks my silence is something different,

"I mean if you don't want to we don't have to I just thought…"

I lean up and I kiss him full on the mouth,

"I am yours Will Scarlett and I want the whole world to know it." I kiss him again.

"Well I'm not being funny but it's about time."

"This, we like."

**Yet again I'm sorry I'm sorry. For making you wait so long. Only one more chapter and then we are done I want to finish it off a little. **

**By the way, while you're waiting for me to put up my next chapter, have a read of Simply Addicted by Writteninthesky I mean I love love LOVE Will and Djaq and this is Allan and Djaq, but it is amazing and then review it and mention in the review that we need another chapter. Cos I've updated so she can too. (honest it's amazing, go read it now!) **

**Thank you all for reading, I really appreciate it. **

**Rach**

**xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN – I'm really sorry but this is the last chapter so this is the last apology you get. **

**I'm a little excited to see if I get the first RH update in 2012! Happy new year! **

Djaq

I look down at the faded scars on my hands. It has been four months since the gang rescued me from Higgins, the since has healed but the skin is a horrible scarred pink. A lot of me is a horrible scarred pink. In my opinion anyway… Will of course thinks differently.

After the rescue it was a whole two weeks before we were allowed any time alone. I was terrified. I thought he would see how ugly I am now tell me he wants someone else. Looking back now I know it was stupid. Will is the most honest, good man in the world something like this would not change him.

"I love you." He had whispered, kissing the scars on my wrists. "You are so beautiful."

"I am scared, ugly, I do not look like normal girls should."

"Yes you are scared, but you most definitely are not ugly. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. And no you don't look normal, but Djaq you have never been normal. You have always been extraordinary and that is what you will always be."

He had slid my tops off and gently chastely kissed me on every scar.

"Will, I still haven't thanked you." I smiled,

"No need, I should have got you out sooner."

I reached up to kiss his lips,

"I'll be well enough to start coming out on missions with you again soon."

"And then the panic starts again." He sighed,

"Hey Scarlett you know full well I can look after myself!" I laughed flicking him on the nose.

"I know you can, however I love you, so that means I panic. Before you start, it's not because you're a woman, it's because you are the woman I love."

"I know, and I want you to make you happy now and forever."

"You already do."

I am jolted back to reality by a knock on the door, Little John sticks his head in,

"It's time to go little one, you ready?" I stand up and John takes my hand. He kisses it gently.

"You look beautiful little one."

I catch a look at myself in Marian's long mirror which she brought into the forest for me, I am wearing a simple green floor length dress and flowers braided in my hair. I feel like a woman, it feels nice but weird.

I take his hand and we walk into the clearing set for this.

John stops me,

"Ok little one. You know I feel like you are my daughter and I always promised myself that if I had a daughter I would make sure she was happy on her wedding day. So I know William is a good man, but are you absolutely sure about this? You know that it is not too late to back out? No one will say anything if you decide not to go through with this."

My eyes begin to water at his kindness and I reach up to kiss him on the cheek,

"Thank you John." I whisper, "But Will is my life, I am completely sure about this."

"I'm glad, well then little one let's go."

He leads me into the clearing and I hear Allan start up on a lute. I remind myself to thank him for that surprise later. For now my eyes and mind are fixed on the love of my life.

He turns over his shoulder and I see his smile as he spots me. He is in a simple shirt and trousers. The dark green of them make his pale skin stand out. His beautiful smile over takes me and as John kisses me one last time on my cheek and passes my hand to Will he whispers to me,

"You look absolutely beautiful."

I smile at him. The ultimate love of my life. The man I travelled across the world to meet.

"Erm… Djaq can I have your attention please?" Robin laughs, I feel myself blush and turn to give him a glare,

"Even in this dress I can still kick your ass Locksley, so if I want to spend my wedding day staring at the most beautiful man I know I will!" I laugh at him, turning back to Will.

Robin laughs, but preforms the service,

"My amazing friends, words cannot express how happy I am to announce that eventually, these two amazing people are married. I present to you. Will and Djaq Scarlett. Take good care of her Will, she has three over protective brothers and one insanely protective dad."

I laugh as Will pulls me close and kisses me with all the passion he has kept locked in those eyes. I gratefully feel his arms around me, knowing I would fall if he didn't.

I close my eyes and try to lock this moment in my memory, only four months since being locked in a cellar wanting to die to now, for this is the happiest moment in my life.

**Right ladies and gents that is it. It is done! **

**Please tell me your thoughts.**

**Happy new year and my new year's resolution will be to write the whole story before posting so there isn't any gap between chapters. **

**Thank you for reading **

**Rach **

**xXx**


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